A Mother's Bond
by disneyqueen
Summary: (Title may change) AU Anna Pater awakens in St. Vincent's with Jacob Wells at her side. As the story comes forth, she finds herself just beginning to understand the bond between herself and her new found son.


**Here is my first story for Beauty and the Beast 1987 show.** **However, this is a slight Alternate story. It just came to be as I was watching Ceremony of Innocence  earlier this evening where the story of Anna was told and the idea popped into my head. I own nothing except the plot. The characters and setting belong their respected owners. ****I have no BETA for this piece, so any mistakes are mine and just point them out to me and I will correct it**.

 **So this is purely for fans of the show and for those are interested in "What If" in stories and so without delay please enjoy this short story. :)**

Someone was calling her. Pulling her through the dark abyss she had fallen into. Its cool embrace was calm and inviting after such agonizing pain though she could not recall its source. Now cradled in the dark serenity, she found herself almost unwilling to leave. Here no monsters could come and attack her. But still someone was calling her. Who was trying to reach her? The voice was warm like that of a child.

Anna Pater blinked, slowly pulling herself from the darkness. A light hiss escaped her lips as white light exploded in front of her eyes. Where was she now? Her arms flew around trying to touch something real and solid, but her fingers closed only around air.

"Anna…" That voice…a deeper voice this time called to her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes again and stared into the wary face of Jacob Wells a now old friend of hers. She blinked twice, to reveal his face each time. Dark circles hung under his blue eyes and his hair seemed to have grown a few extra gray hairs since yesterday. Even his cloths appeared more unkempt than usual. What had happened and where in heaven's name was she?

"Oh…dear god, Anna. Thank goodness," Jacob whispered, grabbing her right hand and kissing it. "I thought…oh never mind. Are you all right?"

Anna nodded groggily. Why was she still so tired? She peered around the room, noting the normal, plain white walls of a hospital room.

Anna pulled herself up into the sitting position despite her friend's attempts to protest. "Jacob? What…what happened?"

Jacob lightly squeezed her hand. "Later. You need your rest."

She shook her head. "No…what happened?" Her eyes flew around the hospital room. "Where am I?"

"St. Vincent's. You needed more medical attention then I could offer."

Her brown eyes squinted, trying to see through the fog in her mind. "What…why…?"

Thick, smooth fingers gingerly brushed away a stray piece of brown hair from her face. "Not now, Anna. You've just woken up."

"Where's John?"

His fingers froze against her cheek. A shadow fell across his face. "In his old chamber for now. Pascal's father, Michael, and Sebastian are looking after him, but Anna…."

His words faded as another scene began to play in front her. She had retired for the evening to her chamber in the tunnels below New York City. Perhaps ten minutes later, John Pater, her husband and one of the leaders for their small community Below, had come to see her. They had become distant over the last few weeks, but John had come to form a truce. In truth he had been as kind and as attentive to her as when they first met. Seeking her forgiveness for his recent actions in regards to the child and promising to do better by her in the future.

A part of her was wary, but a larger part told her his words were true. They had feasted on a small supper and John had even procured her favorite wine. He had poured it into a finely decorated wine goblet they had received as a wedding present. Even before the wine passed her lips, she had become almost giddy with hope for the future as she stared into John's eyes.

Anna shook her head; trying in vain to banish the next images: the goblet coming closer to her lips and the sensation of dread filling her heart after realizing John's true intentions. How could John do such a thing to her, his own wife? Did he not believe her to be grieving as much as he was for their loss? Could he not see that by allowing some space between him and Vincent now that it could perhaps bring them closer later?

No John had only seen betrayal and had attempted to rectify it. She had cost him both chances at fatherhood so she would never be a mother. She had seen it in his cold dark eyes as she fell back against the pillow. His fingers gingerly brushed her brunette curls from her face; a mocking tender gesture as he watched for the light to leave her eyes. One life for another in some twisted sense.

She shivered. It was as though she could still feel the poison pulsing through her veins. She felt the pull of the poison grip her in the instant after she had swallowed the warm wine. It was meant to be quick and undetectable. Or was it slow...she could not quite recall. Either way no one else was expected to come visit in her chamber tonight. But then…?

She looked over at Jacob, her eyes searching his face. "How did…?"

Jacob sighed. "It was…Vincent." He laid a calming hand over hers, catching her thought. "He is fine now. Mary is with him. Anyway, earlier tonight he awoke crying and whimpering about haf an hour after you left. But he was neither hungry nor wet. Even Mary couldn't calm the…urh…child. And his cries held a…for the life of me I can't describe it any other way other than foreboding in some nature. So…Mary and I decided to take him over to see you. He always calms when you hold him you know."

Anna nodded absentmindedly.

Even when she had found the furry baby, wrapped only in a sheet of torn newspaper outside the doors of this very hospital, he had quieted as she scooped him up and spoke soothingly to him. It was if this infant could sense her good, though sorrowful nature trying to nature him. An abandoned soul finding another. But then what was what the community below was meant for. Taking in the strays of the streets and giving them sanctuary. She had thought she had found such a person in John Pater, but he was no different than the rats that scurried above.

Jacob continued. "As we drew near, his cries increased until we were just coming to the bend which led to your chamber then he ceased. It was like something had frightened him into silence. I thought to turn back to allow you your much needed rest, but then I heard John's voice."

Anna gulped, trying to block her ears. But his words came back to her before she had slipped into darkness. Words he had so often used to comfort her after she would awaken from one of her nightmares about her time Above. In those moments, he would wrap her in his strong arms and stroke her hair as she wept. "There…Annie…it's all right…sleep…sleep now... everything is fine."

Jacob squeezed her hand. "Anna, perhaps this isn't the right time."

"No…" She pulled her hands from his, staring at the white wall across from her. "Keep going….please."

"I gave the…um child over to Mary and walked forward, slightly perplexed I must say. I recalled you had mentioned during breakfast in the great hall not wishing to see John for a few days since you had had an unpleasant fight were your words I believe. But as he was your husband I did not wish to intrude too much. So, I peeked around the edge and…oh dear God…"

He exhaled slowly before he went on. "I saw…John…lying beside you, caressing your face. A perfectly normal thing, but something was off…I can't explain it and then I saw the half-filled wine glass set on the table. I stepped in and asked John to explain himself. He said he was just visiting his wife, that was all, and that you had just fallen asleep."

"I walked closer and you were to pale even for mere exhaustion. I ran over to your side, your pulse was fading, but still relatively strong. You were hovering between being alert and unconsciousness. I turned to question John, but he had already fled. Perhaps some part of him felt remorse for his actions."

"But then…how did I end up here?"

A wary smile graved Jacob's face. "I used your husband's method to call others to come help me. I was…please pardon me…it was purely for medical reasons and of course life and death, but I was able to get you to relieve yourself by vomiting trying to get as much of the poison out of you as possible and then was able to stabilize you enough to bring you up here."

Anna peered back at him. "How did Vincent….know?"

Jacob shrugged. "I…honestly, Anna, I don't know. But perhaps he is special beyond just his appearance Empathy can take many forms and he might have learned such from you. A young woman who was only filled with compassion and warmth when she saved a child from death."

Anna nodded, sliding back down under the starchy covers of her hospital bed. . His entire story seemed so unbelievable. How an infant had felt her distress she could not even begin to comprehend, and yet somewhere deep inside her she knew his words were true.

Only hours ago she had made perhaps one of the biggest mistakes; one which might have cost her life. Never again would she allow John anywhere near her or the child who she cherished more than anything on earth, above or below. John's attempts to separate them would not come to pass. She had saved Vincent's life and he had returned the favor. And nothing could break that bond…a bond stronger than love itself.

 **Now let me explain. That Vincent and Catherine 's bond cannot be touched and I was not trying to under mind their relationship with the last line, but a mother and a child's relationship is special in itself and that Vincent's empathic abilities had to be appear sometime most likely with someone who he had a connection with. I may continue with this alternate universe with Anna being alive, but for now it is a one short.**

 **Please let me know what you think in a review. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please no bashing. Again, thank you. :)**


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